Aeyavarin “Aeya” Pradubyart’s family is questioning why play continued after earlier lightning was reported near the course.
CHACHOENGSAO, Thailand — A 15-year-old junior golfer died Nov. 2 after being struck by lightning during a youth tournament in Chachoengsao province, an incident that also injured her caddie and raised questions from her family about how organizers responded to worsening weather.
Aeyavarin “Aeya” Pradubyart was competing Nov. 1 at a golf course in Bang Nam Priao district when lightning struck near the 11th hole at about 4 p.m., according to Thai news reports. Rescue workers found her unconscious and without vital signs and performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation before restoring a heartbeat. She was taken to Bang Nam Priao Hospital and later transferred to Phutthasothon Hospital, where she remained in critical condition overnight before her death was announced the next day.
A 31-year-old female caddie who was with Pradubyart also was injured in the strike. Thailand’s state-run Thai News Agency reported that both suffered cardiac arrest and received CPR at the scene before being taken to a hospital. The caddie remained under close medical supervision after the incident, according to reports reviewed this week. The available accounts did not establish a final diagnosis or provide a later update on her condition.
Pradubyart’s mother, Natcha, said lightning had been seen and heard in the area before her daughter was struck. She told Thai media that a strike occurred near a row of trees at about 3 p.m. and that additional lightning followed as conditions deteriorated. According to her account, competitors continued playing until another loud strike and heavier rain led officials to suspend the event and arrange transportation for golfers on the course. The precise timing of organizers’ decisions and what weather information was available to them has not been independently established.
The family also raised concerns about the emergency response. Pradubyart’s grandmother alleged that no ambulance was immediately available at the course and questioned whether that affected the speed of the teenager’s transfer to a hospital. That allegation has not been independently confirmed. Reports said emergency workers were able to restore Pradubyart’s heartbeat after CPR before she was transported for further treatment.
After golfers began returning from the course, Pradubyart’s mother said she could not initially find her daughter. She later learned that a young golfer had been struck by lightning and discovered that it was Aeya, who was receiving emergency care. Family members said the teenager’s heart had stopped for an extended period before rescuers restored a pulse. She remained critically ill through the night as doctors continued treatment.
Pradubyart’s father was working in neighboring Myanmar when he learned of the incident and returned to Thailand, according to her family. He reached the hospital before his daughter died. Her mother later announced the death on social media and said the teenager had fought through the night. The family collected Pradubyart’s body Nov. 2 and took her to Pattaya in Chon Buri province for Islamic funeral rites.
Pradubyart had established herself as a promising junior golfer. Thai reports said she was registered with the Thai Student Golf Union and had competed in several youth events. In March, she won the girls’ Class B division at the opening Junior Asian Tour event of 2026 at Rayong Green Valley Country Club after a playoff. Her grandmother said the teenager also had represented her province in competition and had been selected as a reserve for Chon Buri’s provincial golf team.
Her death has placed attention on the tournament’s severe-weather procedures and the period between the family’s first reported observations of lightning and the suspension of play. Pradubyart’s mother has called for golf courses and tournament organizers to strengthen procedures for stopping competition during thunderstorms and responding to medical emergencies. The family’s allegations about the timing of the suspension and the availability of emergency transportation remain allegations, and no independent finding assigning responsibility for Pradubyart’s death had been reported in the sources reviewed through Wednesday.
Author note: Last updated November 4, 2026.